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62d Congress,| HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. ( ReportM Session.) | ^^^ 334^

PRESERVATION OF FLAGS.

February 19, 1912.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the stateof the Union and ordered to be printed.

Ml. Bates, from the Committee on Naval Afiairs, submitted thefollowing

KEPORT.[To accompany II. R. 15471.]

The Committee on Naval Aflfaii-s, to which was referred the bill(H. R. 15471) making appropriation tor the repair, preservation, andexhibition of trophy flags now in store in the Naval Academy, Annapo-lis, Md., having had under consideration the same, report said bill backto the House with the recommendation that it do pass, with the follow-ing amendment

:

In line 7, after the word '^ America," add, "or those United Statesflags or trophies deemed to be of historic value."There are 136 flags, most of wliich have been taken in battle or

after battle by the Navy of the United States, now lying stored inwooden boxes at the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md,A list of these flags is appended and made a part of this report toshow their historical value. They are at present in a most deplorablecondition, and although they have heretofore received the best pos-sible care there is immediate need that they be given attention orthey \vill soon be beyond preservation. Many of the flags have beeninjured by moths and are in tatters. Among these flags is an EngUshroyal standard, 2.3 by 27 feet, captured at York, Canada, April 27,1813, by a squadron under Isaac Chaunce}^ Another is Perry'sbattle flag on the blue held of wliich is inscribed the words in whiteletters, "Don't give up the sliip," the last words of Capt. Lawrence,after whom the flagship was named, a trophy of the Battle of LakeErie, September 10, 1813, this flag being used as the signal for actionby Commodore Perry.Another is the first United States ensign hoisted in Japan by

Commodore Perry at Uraga, July 14, 1853.Another is a Mexican ensign taken at Mazatlan, November 11,

1847, by Commodore Shubrick.Another the ensign of Alert taken in 1812 b}^ Capt. David Porter.

- "^c 7 ty<<

til^^aPRESERVATION OF FLAGS.

Another the flag of the Governor General of the PliiUppmes, takenby Admiral Dewey 1898. Also the last flag flown by the Spanishsquadron at the Battle of Manila Bay.

These flags were almost all taken by our Navy during the War of

1812, Mexican War, Spanish War, and two in the pseudo War withFrance in 1798.

Commandei- W. C. Cole, of the Navy, now stationed at Anna]>olis,

and senior mem])er of the committee on memorials, has taken a deepinterest in the subject of. the preservation of these trophies, and, after

much correspondence and research, has found a method by whichthey can be restored and preserved. It is proposed that they bestretched upon a backing of fine linen and then sewed to the linen

by expert needlewomen using small stitches that will not be visible

at the distance an observer will stand when viewing them in exhibi-

tion cases. Also using sewing silk of the color end sliade to matcheach part of the flag. A most careful estimate has been made of theentire matter, and it is foimd that there are about 1,200 yards of sur-

face, and that tlie material, linen, silk, etc., for this work will cost

$1,500; that it will require 100 needlewomen working 200 days to

accomplish this work. The glass cases for the reception of these

flags have been prepared from funds appropriated for memorialsin 1910.

Many patriotic societies of this countr}" have sent in memorials andpetitions jirayin^ that these flags may be restored and preserved.

There was exhibited before your committee two of these flags. Oneof them has been treated in the manner above named. It is the flag

of Epervier, captured by the Peacock April 29, 1814, off the coast of

Florida under Master Commandant Lems Warrington. This flag wasin most wretched condition, most of its surface having been reducedto a mere fiJm and also torn badly in many places. It cost -Sill to

restore this flag. Many of the flags are in even worse condition thanwas this. This trophy was before your committee and \\i\\ beexliibited in the House during the consideration of tliis biU. Anotherflag was also shown wliich has not received the above treatment andwill also be exhibited by way of contrast, the flag of the Dominica,captured August 5, 1813, by the schooner Decatur, under Capt. D.Diron.

It is estimated that the average amount of time to be expended byneedlewomen in the restoration of these flags will be 15 hours persquare foot. The proposed treatment will be durable. Nearly 1,000

years ago the wife of the Duke of Normandy, with the help of herattendants, made some tapestries wliich are to-day known as the

Bayeux tapestries. They are mounted on fine linen in exactly the

same manner it is proposed to mount these flags at Annapolis. Theyhave been-Gonstantly under exliibit and have been transported to

various exhibitions from time to time.

Your committee is therefore of practically the unanimous opinion

that the appropriation asked for in tliis bill is necessaiy for the per-

forming of this work, and your committee believe it should be donewithout delay. These trophies, now crumbling into dust, teU morethan spoken or written words of great achievements of the AmericanNavy in the past. They are silent witnesses of the bravery andheroism of the American sailor and an inspiration to present andfuture generations.

PEESERVATION OF FLAGS. 3

List of Flags now Stored in Pine Boxes in the Naval Academy at Annap-olis, Md.

No. ] (No. 6). Ensign of the "Cyane."—16 by 30 feet; captured February 20, 1815,off Madeira by frigate Constitution, Capt. Charles Stewart commanding. (Flag badlymoth-eaten.)

"^^ No. 3. Ensign of the "Reindeer."—10 feet 6 inches by 22 feet: captured June 28,

J 1814, in latitude 48° 36^ N., longitude 11° 15^ W., by sloop of war Wasp, Capt. John-^ ston Blakely commanding. (Flag moth-eaten.)

No. 4. Ensign of the "Gucrriere."—17 by 33 feet; captured August 19, 1812, in lati-

tude 41° 42' N., longitude 55° 48' W., by frigate Constitution, Capt. Isaac Hull com-manding.

No. 5. Pennant of the "Guerriere."—2 feet 6 inches by 47 feet.

No. 7. Mexican ensign.—2 feet 9 inches by 8 feet 5 inches; captured at Tuxpam,Mexico, April 18, 1847, by landing force of officers, seamen, and marines from theGulf Squadron, led by Commodore M. C. Perry in the Spitfire.

No. 8. Ensign of the " Highflyei-."—5 feet 7 inches by 9 feet 6 inches; captured

September 23, 1813, off New York, by the frigate President, Commodore John Rodgerscommanding.

No. 9. AdmiraV s Jlag

.

—The flag used by Admiral Farragut on board the Tallapoosa.,

January, 1870, in charge of the naval obsequies of George Peabody, at Portland, Me,Looking up at this flag as a salute was fired at Portsmouth, N. H., in his honor, theadmiral remarked, "It would be well if I died now in harness." This was his last

official duty. He died shortly after, August 14, 1870.

No. 10. Chinese flag.—A small painted flag on cotton cloth, slit through the middle,captured November 13, 1854, from a pirate battery at Coolan, i'^land of Tylo (nearHongkong), by the crew of the Macedonian's pinnace, in charge of Acting MasterJohn G. Sproston, which had been landed from the chartered steamer Queen, Lieut,

G. H. Preble commanding, to make an attack upon the pirate settlement in concertwith a force from vessels of the English fleet.

No. 11. Korean flag

.

—3 feet 2 incho-; by 2 feet 5 inches; captured by Thomas Woods(ordinary seaman), Colorado. This flag has two horizontal stripes, blue and white(cotton).

No. 12. Perry's battle flag.—8 feet 5 inches by 10 feet. A blue field with ins<'ription

through center in two lines of white letters, "Don't give up the ship," the last wordsof Capt. James Lawrence, after whom the flagship was named. (Battle was foughton Lake Erie Sept. 10, 1813; signal for action given by Commodore O. H. Perry.)

No. 13. Ensign of the "Kearsarge."—This flag flew at the masthead of the U. S. S.

Kearsarge during the engagement with the Confederate steamer Alabama, off Cher-bourg, France, June 19, 1864, Capt. John A. Winslow commanding.

No. 14. English royal standard.—23 feet by 27 feet 5 inches; captured at York,Canada, April 27, 1813, when that place was taken by the squadron under CommodoreIsaac Chauncey and a force of troops under Gen. Pike.

No. 15. Ensign of the " Insurgente."—The Insurgente was a French frigate, capturedFebruary 9, 1799, off Nevis, West Indies, by the Constellation, Commodore ThomasTruxtun, commanding. (Measurement 9 feet 2 inches V)y 9 feet 10 inches.)

No. 16. Corean standard.—12 feet 3 inches liy 15 feet. This was the flag of theCorean Generalissimo, captured June 11, 1871, liy Capt. McLane Tilton and Corpl.Brown; Marine Corps, of the Colorado, and Private Purvis, Marine Corps, of the Alaska.

No. 17. English ensign.—4 feet 4 inches by 5 feet 5 inches, marked Avon; historyunknown.No. 18. Corean flag.—Captured by John Shoemaker (seaman), Colorado. Silk, very

dilapidated

.

No. 19. United States ensign.—2 feet 9 inches liy 4 feet 6 inches; the fu'st UnitedStates ensign hoisted in Japan. Used by Commodore Perry in his interview withthe Japanese commissioners at Uraga. Province of Sagami, near Yokohama, July 14,

1853.

No. 20. Mexican ensign.—2 feet 4 inches by 5 feet 4 inches, marked San Juan; his-

tory unknown.No. 21. Ensign of the ''Spitfire."—A L^nited States flag used in the Gulf Squadron

service during the War with Mexico (27 stars).

No. 22. Ensign of the "Albemarle."—6 feet 10 inches by 9 feet. Confedei'ate flag

captured October 27, 1864, by Lieut. W. B. Cushing with 13 officers and men fromNorth Atlantic Squadron at Plymouth, N. C, from Confederate ironclad ram Albemarle,This flag has 13 white stars on V)lue cross on red field.

No. 23. Ensign of the "Ellis."—This flag has three horizontal strij)es. 2 red, 1 white,in center blue cantore with 12 white stars in upper staff corner.

4 PRESERVATION OF FLAGS.

No. 24. Ensign of the '' Conftance."—12 feet 3 inches l)y 24 feet (J inche.s, capturedSeptember 11, 1814, off Plattsburg, by Commodore Thomas Macdonough. This flaghas white fields with St. George's cross; ensign in upper left corner.

No. 25. Ensign of the ' 'Little Belt."—7 feet 5 inches by 14 feet 8 inches; capturedSeptember 10, 1813, by Commodore Perry, in engagement with English squadron onLake Erie. This flag has a blue field with ensign in upper left corner.No. 26. Ensign of the "Java."—5 feet 7 inches by 14 feet; captured December 29,

1812, off the southeast coast of Brazil by the Constitution, Capt. William Bainbridgecommanding.

No. 27. Ensign of the ' 'Penguin.''—13 feet by 24 feet; captured March 24, 1815, off

Tristan D'Acunha by the Hornet, Capt. James Biddle commanding. (WTiite field,

St. George's cross, ensign.)

No. 28. Ensign of the' ' Chub."—7 feet 10 inches by 17 feet; captured September 11,

1814, off Plattsburg by American squadron. Commodore Thomas Macdonough com-manding.

No. 29. Ensign of the ' 'Estedio."—4 feet by 20 feet 4 inches, an Algerine brig; cap-tured June 19, 1815, off Cape Palos, Mediterranean, by fleet under command of Com-modore Stephen Decatur. (Pennant.)No. 30. Ensign of the "Hunter."—11 feet 2 inches by 19 feet 9 inches; captured

September 10, 1813, by American squadron under Commodore Perry, on Lake Erie;red field. Ensign.

No. 31. Ensign of the' 'Hunter."—7 feet 6 inches by 13 feet 2 inches; taken at same

time as above. No. 30.

No. 32. Ensign of the ' 'Atlanta."—6 feet by 12 feet 9 inches; taken June 17, 1863, inWarsaw Sound, Ga., by the monitor Weehawken, Capt. John Rodgers commanding.(The Atlanta was a Confederate ironclad ram.)No. 33. Ensign of the "Dominica."—Half of ensign; taken August 5, 1813, in lati-

tude 23° 4' N., longitude 67° W., by the privateer schooner Decatur, Capt. D. Diron,Charleston, S. C.

No. 34. Korean flag.—2 feet 5 inches by 3 feet; taken by John Antoski (seaman),CoZo?-flf/o. June 11, "1871. Cloth.

No. 35. (2) Jacks of the " Truxton."—Blue bunting with white stars.

No. 36. Ensign of the "Boxer. "—8 feet 10 inches by 17 feet 9 inches; taken September 4, 1813, off Portland, Me., by the brig Enterprise, Lieut. William Burrows, com-manding. (This flag has red field.)

No. 37. Ensign of the "Queen. Charlotte."—16 feet 4 inches by 28 feet 2 inches; takenSeptember 10, 1813, on Lake Erie by the American squadron, Commodore O. H. Perry,commanding. (St. George's cross.)

No. 38. Ensign of the "Beresford."—10 feet by 18 feet 5 inches; history unknown.(St. George's cross.)

No. 39. Ensign of the '-Linnet."—12 feet by 24 feet; taken September 11, 1814, off

Plattsburg, by the American squadron. Commodore Thomas McDonough, command-ing. (Blue field.)

No. 40. Pennant ofChippeicay."—Taken on Lake Erie, September 10, 1813, by theAmerican squadron, Commodore O. H. Perry, commanding.No. 42. Ensign of''Chippeway."—6 feet 8 inches by 10 feet 9 inches; taken on Lake

Erie, Seyjlember 10, 1813, by the American squadron. Commodore O. H. Perry, com-manding.

No. 43. Mexican ensign.—7 feet 4 inches by 14 feet 2 inches; taken November 11,

1847, at Mazatlan, by landing party from the Independence, Congress, Cyane, and Erie,

Commodore W. B. Shubrick, commanding. This flag has three horizontal stripes,

green, white, red. On white stripe, an eagle with snake in its beak is painted.No. 44. Corcan banner.—1 foot 1 inch by 6 feet 9 inches; taken in May, 1871, when

Rear Admiral John Rodgers, with the Colorado and other vessels, accompanied theUnited States minister to China, who had been instructed to make a treaty with theCoreans for the protection of shipwrecked sailors. A conflict with the Coreans ensued,and many flags were taken.

No. 45. Ensign, of "Landrail."-—4 feet 6 inches by 11 feet; taken July 12, 1814, onthe English Channel by the Syren, Capt. J. D. Daniels, out of Baltimore. (Privateer.)

No. 46. Korean flag.—3 feet 7 inches by 5 feet 10 inches; taken by Private Lynes,Marine Corps, Colorado. This flag is of brocade silk with dragon fly painted in center.

No. 47. Confederate flag.—10 feet by 18 feet 8 inches; taken oft' Wilmington fromblockade runner, 1863.

No. 48. Colonial flag.—4 feet 10 inches by 10 feet; pine tree flag No. 12. Facsimilesof the pine tree flags used during the Revolution. Presented by Rear AdmiralJenkins.

No. 49. Colonial flag.—4 feet 10 inches by 10 feet; pine tree flag No. 4. Duplicateof above.

PEESERVATION OF FLAGS. 5

No. -30. Ensign of "Detroit.'"—13 feet by 27 feet 5 inches; taken September 10,

1813. by the American squadron, Commodore O. H. Perry commandinp; (on Lake Erie).

No. .51. Mexican ensign.—9 by 19 feet; taken at Mazatlan, Novemi^er Jl. 1847,Commodore W. B. Shubrick commanding fleet. Tliis flag has three perpendicularstripes—green, white, red—an eagle with rattlesnake in his beak painted on centerstripe.

No. 52. Pennant of "Detroit."—Taken with ensign.

No. 53. Ensign of" Macedonian."—9 feet 5 inches by 19 feet 2 inches; taken October25, 1812, in latitude 29° N., longitude 29° 30' W., by United States, C'apt. StephenDecature, commanding.

No. 54. Ensign of the "Frolic."—lOfeet Sinches by 20 feet 10 inches; takenOctober18. 1812. in latitude 37° N., longitude 64° W., by the Wasp, Jacob Jones, master,commandant.

No. 55. Ensign of the "Alert."—6 feet 8 inches by 13 feet 4 inches; taken August13, 1812, in the North Atlantic by the Essex, Capt. David Porter commanding.No. 56. Ensign of the ' 'Berceaxi."—9 feet 6 inches by 10 feet 8 inches; taken October

12, 1800, in latitude 22° 50' N., longitude 51° W., by the Boston, Capt. George Little,

commanding.No. 57. Ensign of'LeBerceau."—6 feet 6 inches by 10 feet 9 inches; taken with

flag above. These flags have three horizontal stripes—red, white, and blue.

No. 58. Jack of the "'Espervier.'^—Silk, 7 feet 10 inches by 14 feet 8 inches; takenApril 29, 1814, off Cape Canaveral by the J\'acock, master commandant, Lewis W'ur-

rington

.

No. 59. Jack of the "Atlanta."—4 feet 7 inches by 6 feet; taken June 17; 1863, in

Warsaw Sound, Ga., by the monitor Weehawken, Capt. John Rodgers, commanding.No. 60. A blue flag with red border, with white figures in center of flag, 6 feet 3

inches by 8 feet. "814."' (History unknown.)No. 61. Mexican guidon.—2 feet 4 inches by 3 feet 2 inches, Mexican national en-

sign, silk lettered, Escuadron Activo de Vera Cruz, history unknown. (A magnificentspecimen of silver bullion work. ; 2 feet 5 inches by 2 feet 3 inches; dark green cloth

with red fringe, lettered En. Ac. de Jalapa.No. 62. Commodore's pennant.—6 feet bj' 10 feet 6 inches, red field, with 13 stars;

swallow tail.

No. 63. Ensign of "Peacock."—10 feet 8 inches by 18 feet 9 inches; taken February24, 1813, off Demarara, by the Hornet, master commandant, James Lawrence.No. 64. Ensign of ' Espervier."—8 feet by 14 feet 10 inches; taken April 29, 1814, off

Cape Canaveral by the Peacock, master commandant, Lewis Warrington.No. 65. Mexican ensign.—6 feet 8 inches by 22 feet; taken at Monterey,. Cal., when

that place was taken possc-^-sion of by landing force under Capt. William Mervine.No. 66. Ensign of "Lady Precast."—12 feet 3 inches by 17 feet 5 inches; taken

September 10, 1813, by the American squadron, Commodore O. H. Perr>-, commanding.No. 67. Jack of the ' 'Espervier."—4 feet by 9 feet 8 inches; taken April 29, 1S14, off

Cape Canaveral, by the Peacock, master commandant, Lewis Warrington.No. 68. Ensign of the " Mezoura."—8 feet by 10 feet 9 inches; taken June 17, 1815,

off Cape de Gata, Spain, by the Guierrere, Commodore S. Decatur, commanding.No. 69. United States ensign.—6 feet 6 inches by 13 feet; flag used by garrison at

San Jose.

No. 70. Ensign of the "Duke of Gloucester."—6 feet by 11 feet 6 inches; takenApril 27, 1813, at York, Canada, by the squadron on Lake Ontario, Commodore Isaac

Chauncey. and force of soldiers under Gens. Pike and Dearborn.No. 71. Ensign of "St. Laurence."—5 feet 9 inches by 8 feet 6 inches; taken Feb-

ruary 26, 1815, off Habana, by the Chasseur, Capt. T. Boule, out of P>altimore. (Pri-

vateer. )

No. 73. Pennant of " Ladg Prevost."—6 feet by 26 feet.

No. 74. A white burgee with black letters in center ' 'Ondiaka' "; 10 feet 4 inches by8 feet 8 inches.

List of Flags Acquired by Admiral George Dewey in the \\.\n with Spain.

No. ]. Ensign of Don Antonio de Ullna: 6 feet 6 inches by 8 feet 9 inches. Thelast flag flown l)y the Spanish squadron at the Battle of Manila Bay. May 1, 1898.

No. 2. l-'lag of Governor General ol Phili])pines: 6 feet 4 inches by 8 feet 10 inches.

No. 3. Rear Admiml Montojo's flag; 4 feet 10 inches by 7 feet.

No. 4. Flag taken by U. S. S. CharleMon at Guam. Ladrotie Islands.

No. 5. Flag taken l)y U. S. S. Charleston; 3 feet 2 inches by 4 feet 3 inches.

No. (i. Flag taken by U. S. S. Charleston; 6 feet by 11 feet"l0 inches.

No. 7. Silk flag taken by U. S. S. Charleston; 4 feet 2 inches by 5 feet 3 inches.

6 PRESERVATION OF FLAGS.

No. 8. Captain's pennant from Spanish cruiser Don Juan de Austria; 8 indies by38 inches {a choice sample).

No. 9. Ensign from Cavite Arsenal; 6 feet 2 inches by 9 feet 4 inches.No. 10. Ensign from Cavite Arsenal; 0?eet 5 inches by 8 feet 2 inches.No. 11. Ensign from arsenal; 8 feet by 11 feet 4 inches.No. 12. Ensign flown at main of Spanish cruiser Don .4nto?iio de f///off during l)attle

of May 1, 1898; 5 feet 6 inches by feet 7 inches.No. 13. Ensign from arsenal; G feet 2 inches by 10 feet 1 inch.No. 14. Pennant of captain commanding Dura.No. 15. Ensign taken from arsenal: 7 feet 3 inches by 10 feet.

No. 16. Ensign taken from arsenal; 3 feet 2 inches by 4 feet 4 inches.No. 17. Ensign taken from arsenal; 4 feet 6 inches by 4 feet 6 inches.No. 18. Pennant of chief of division; 4 feet 3 inches by 5 feet 8 inches.No. 19. Boat flag: 3 feet 2 inches by 4 feet 9 inches.No. 20. Merchant flag: 3 feet 10 inches by 7 feet 2 inches; red and yelloAv liorizontal

stripes.

No. 21. Ensign from arsenal: 8 feet by 11 feet 6 inches.No. 22. Ensign from arsenal; 8 ])y 13 feet.

No. 23. P^nsign from arsenal; 7 feet by 10 feet 9 inches.No. 24. Rear Admiral Montojo's flag: 7 feet 2 inches by 7 feet 8 inches.No. 25. General of brigade: 4 feet (> inches by 5 feet 10 inches. (Swallow-tail

guidon.)No. 26. Pennant of divi.'jion commander; 4 feet by 8 feet 6 inches.No. 27. Flag of insurgent Filijiinos taken at Fort Iloilo by party from I'. S. S.

Boston and Petrel. Lieut. A. P. Xil)lack, United States Navv. commandintr. P'ebruary11, 1899.

Note.—This fla;^ was not luim'Dpred in catalogue. I have taken lil>crty of placing it No. 27.

No. 28. Flag of Governor General; 2 feet 8 inches by 4 feet 5 inches.

No. 29. Flag of Governor General; 4 feet 2 inches by 6 feet 2 inches.No. 30. Official flag of Manila, hauled down August 19, 1888, by Flag Lieut. Brumby

and Signal Boys Stanton and Ferguson, from flagship Olympia; 12 feet 10 inches by17 feet. (Not numbered in set.)

No. 31. Rear Admiral Montojo's flag; 6 feet by 6 feet 7 inches.

No. 32. Senior officers' pennant; 2 feet 10 inches by 5 feet 2 inches.

No. 33. Two captains' pennants.No. 34. Flag of captain general; 5 feet 5 inches by 12 feet 10 inches. (Swallowtail

guidon.)No. 35. Unfinished boat flag; 3 feet by 3 feet 10 inches.

No. 36. Ensign from arsenal; 5 feet 4 inches by 5 feet 4 inches.

No. 37. Flag of Governor General; 4 feet 2 inches by 6 feet 2 inches. (Two stars.)

No. 38. Unfinished en.sign; 7 feet 7 inches by 12 feet.

No. 39. Ensign; 2 feet 7 inches by 3 feet 10 inches.

No. 40. Ensign taken from arsenal; 2 feet 9 inches by 4 feet 2 inches.

No. 41. Ensign taken from arsenal; 13 feet 5 inches by 20 feet 10 inches.

No. 42. Ensign taken from arsenal; 6 feet 8 inches by 8 feet 9 inches.

No. 43. Flag of captain general; 7 feet 4 inches by 8 feet 10 inches.

No. 44. Ensign taken from arsenal; 4 feet 9 inches by 5 feet 9 inches.

No. 45. Flag from Spanish armed steamer Santo Domingo, taken July 12, 1898, bythe Eagle; 9 feet 3 inches by 17 feet 9 inches. (No number on fjag.)

No. 46. Flag taken from Spanish torpedo destroyer Furor after the battle; 5 feet

5 Inches by 9 feet 8 inches.

No. 48. Ensign taken from arsenal; 7 feet 6 inches by 10 feet 3 inches.

No. 49. The first Spanish flag hauled down in Porto Rico, July 25, 1898.

No. 50. Admiral Cevara's flag; 7 feet 7 inches by 8 feet.

PEESERVATION OF FLAGS, i

No. 51. Bandera de Popa; 3 feet by 4 feet 8 inches.

No. 52. Flag of Spanish armed transport Cebu taken at Manila, August.

No. 53. Spanish flag from Christobal Colon taken July 3, 1898; 14 feet by 19 feet

5 inches. (A most beautiful handmade flag.)

No. 54. Flag found in water near stern of Christobal Colon; 21 feet 4 inches bv27 feet.

(Fifty-three flags, pennants, etc., in this set.)

List of Unnumbered Flags.

Commodore's pennant; 5 feet 8 inches by 10 feet. AVhite field M'ith blue stars (13)

swallowtail

.

Spanish jack taken from gunboat Jorge Juan, sunk in Nipe Bay, Cuba, July 21,

1898; 7 feet by 7 feet 8 inches.

Small Spanish ensign marked ''R. H." in dark letters; 3 feet 4 inches by 4 feet 10

inches.

Spanish ensign; 8 feet 8 inches by 13 feet 3 inches.

Flag of the Saginaiv; 4 feet by 7 feet 3 inches. United States flag with 13 stars.

Flag of the Vandalia; 15 by 28; March 16, 1889. United States flag. 45 stars.

Pennant of the Freeborn, first pennant on the Potomac; 11 feet 6 inches.

A black silk Chinese flag with red design in center; 10 feet by 11 feet 2 inches.

(Seventy-nine flags, pennants, etc., in this set.)

Annapolis, Md., December 19, 1911.

My Dear Congressman: About the 1st of March, 1911, I began inquiries into thequestion of the best method of doing the work of repair, preservation, and preparation

for exhibit of old flags, and commenced a general correspondence which included theSmithsonian Institution, the custodian of the flags in the State House, Boston, Mass.,

and other people. There wa,8 also found some correspondence in the files of the NavalAcademy concerning the preservation of flags. The correspondence ultimately nar-

rowed down to the governor of Massachusetts, and principally with ex-Gov. Curtis

Guild, who seemed to have taken a most active interest in the question of flag preserva-tion. He referred me to a woman who had had charge of the preservation and exhibi-tion of the flags which they have now in the Massachusetts State House. I thenbegan a correspondence with Mrs. Amelia Fowler, whom I found to be a remarkablewoman of high ability and worth, who took this work up originally as a pastime andlater as a profession.

About the 1st of May I succeeded in making arrangements with Mrs,. Fowler to comedown here to make an inventory of the flags, and to make an estimate of material,labor, and time for the preservation and exhibition of them.The flags were packed in wooden boxes in as good shape as possible, i. e., in camphor

balls and newspapers, and the boxes were as near air tight as practicable, though nottin or lead lined. No doubt this would have been done had the money been avail-

able at the time. They were packed in 1900. This date I took from the date of thenewspapers used in packing. There is no other record of the date. On opening theboxes the flags were found to be in a most deplorable condition—moth eaten untilsome of them were in tatters. In the handling of these flags Mrs. Fowler showed thatshe knew her business, and I have obtained a careful inventory showing the condi-tion of each flag, and they are now repacked in the cases.

After studying the situation, Mrs. Fowler proposes to back these flags with a veryfine weave linen, which she says she can obtain from a particular factory. The flags

will be sewn on the linen with silk, by expert needlewomen, with small stitches thatwill not be visible at the distance an observer will stand in viewing them when in theexhibition cases. In one case, that of the Royal Standard, the material Ls heavyenough to require additional support on fine wire mesh, and m.ade of rustless material.The summation of the surface of these flags amounts to about 1,200 yards. Mrs.

Fowler estimates that the material for this work will cost $1,500, and that it willrequire 100 needlewomen, working 200 days, to accomplish the work. This willbring the labor cost to $26,000, assuming that we can obtain efficient needlewomenfor the purpose at $1.28 or $1.30 per diem.

Because of the fact, as I stated above, that, though it was not specifically so stated,it was more or less understood before the House Committee on Naval Affairs that the$3,000 appropriated in the last naval appropriation bill was sufficient to complete thework under "Memorials and exhibits," I did not believe it proper for me to expend anyof this money until the whole question could again be laid before the committee; in

5 PRESERVATION OF FLAGS.

this decision the Superintendent of the Naval Academy (at that time Capt. Bowyer)agreed. Not a cent of that money has been expended. When you examine thephotographs of a few of the flags which I inclose, jou will be able to form an idea of

the immensely slow and tedious characfer of the labor involved.

I took occasion last June diu-ing the presence here at the Naval Academy of theBoard of Visitors to lay the question of the repair, preservation, and preparation for

exhibit of these trophy flags before them. They all agreed in their approbation of

the project and made a favorable recommendation in their report to the President.

It was recognized, however, that before such an appropriation would be favorably

reported to tlie Houses of Congress by the Committees on Naval Affairs there must be,

in all jiistice to the members of the committees and to Congress in general, a soundingof public opinion as to whether you are justified in making this appropriation. Thequestion was first taken up by me in the routine of ofhcial business in my work as the

officer in charge of buildings and grounds and also as the senior member of the com-mittee on memorials and exhibits, but a view of these wonderful trophies would not

permit me to let my tour of duty here at the Naval Academy pass without the strongest

effort to have the work begun on these flags before the ra^•age8 of time ha^e completedtheir destruction.

The following patriotic societies have petitioned for the passage of this bill:

Society of the Cincinnati.

Aztec "Club of 1847.

United Spanish War Veterans.

Order of the Founders and Patriots of America.Military Order of the Loyal Legion.

Naval Order of the LTnited States.

Army and Navy Lhiion.

Navy League of the United States.

Patriotic Sons of America.National A.isociation of Naval Veterans.

Sons of the American Revolution.

Sons of the Revolution.Daughters of the Revolution.Daughters of the American Revolution.

General Society of the War of 1812.

This course will, I hope, show the Members of Congress that there is sufficient

public opinion favorable to the appropriation of the money t<j justify them to favorably

consider the bill when it is introduced on the floors of the Houses.

Personally, I shall be glad to appear before the committees having the bill underconsideration at any time they may desire.

Trusting the question may be given an early consideration, I am,Very triilv, vours.

W. C. Cole,Commander, United States Navy

,

Senior Member of Committee on Memorials and Exhibits.

Hon. Arthur L. B.\tes, M. C,Naval Committee, House of Representatives,

Washington, D. C.

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